[an error occurred while processing this directive] Medical care continues to expand in G.I. 06/30/05
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Web-Posted Jun 30, 2005
Medical care continues to expand in G.I.


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The face of medicine in Grand Island will look vastly different in the coming year as St. Francis Medical Center continues a three- to five-year master building plan.

The plan was launched into high gear in 2005 with the groundbreaking and construction of a new, $67.33 million, nine-story, 265,000-square-foot tower that will provide more spacious, private and technically capable patient rooms. The tower is scheduled to be completed in July of 2007 and will expand the ability of St. Francis to provide technologically advanced care.

There is also construction recently completed or soon to begin at other tri-city hospitals, including a new tower open at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney and a project planned at Mary Lanning hospital in Hastings.

St. Francis Medical Center

St. Francis is a 189-bed hospital, including 134 acute-care beds, a 32-bed long-term care unit and a 23-bed chemical dependency unit. It employs about 1,150 people in full- and part-time positions, with a medical staff of some 80 active physicians. The medical center offers services at two facilities a short distance apart.

The hospital at 2620 W. Faidley Ave. houses the acute-care beds, birthing center, outpatient and emergency rooms, surgery, coronary and intensive-care units and other hospital services. St. Francis Memorial Health Center at 2116 W. Faidley houses the Cancer Treatment Center, Skilled Nursing Unit. Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, home health care, the Saint Francis Foundation and several administrative offices.

  • Wellness Works/Por Su Salud, a health information center at Conestoga Mall through St. Francis Medical Center, opened in December of 2001. The site has already expanded on the ways it offers medical information. Wellness Works has established a number of weekly events, including heart-healthy cooking classes, low-impact exercise sessions and other informational opportunities.

    In addition, there are support groups on diabetes, heart disease, knee, hip and joint pain, children's issues and other topics. Doreen Foland, the director of the center, said they respond to the questions they hear from the public.

    The hospital's Wellness Works looks like a storefront at the mall, but doesn't sell anything except health-care ideas. Instead it provides access to health-care publications and advice as well as Internet access to various health-care sites. The Grand Island Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2201 N. Broadwell, serves veterans -- both men and women -- across central and western Nebraska and north-central Kansas, an area spanning 50,000 square miles.

  • The Crane River Clinic, 3280 Woodridge Blvd., houses the two psychiatrists on St. Francis' medical staff. St. Francis also runs the Student Wellness Center at Grand Island Senior High School. St. Francis is designated as a rural referral center by the federal government and has built primary care clinics in Doniphan, Wood River and Cairo, staffed by doctors, a nurse practitioner and other professional staff.

    Grand Island VA

    The three Veteran Affairs facilities in Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island) integrated in November 1999, to become the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Each of these sites provides a unique array of health care services.

    The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System at Grand Island (dubbed the Grand Island VA for short) focuses on ambulatory and extended care including geriatric and rehabilitation services. The facility has a 76-bed geriatric and extended care unit, residential substance abuse treatment, outpatient mental health and outpatient diagnostic testing. Acute medical and intensive care inpatient services are provided through a contractual arrangement with St. Francis Medical Center. Some of the specialty care is provided at the Omaha facility.

    The Grand Island VA provides transportation to medical care as needed, both in town and with vans between North Platte, O'Neill, Lincoln and Omaha. Medical advice is given over the phone 24 hours a day. Patients may access this free service by calling 1-866-NURSE VA (1-866-687-7382). The VA also has an active volunteer program that assists in the care of veterans.

    PromptCare

    PromptCare at 1300 S. Locust is a walk-in medical clinic designed to treat minor illnesses and injuries of children and adults. It is staffed by providers who are accessible after hours and on weekends, when most other doctors are unavailable.

    PromptCare providers treat colds, flu and ear infections of children; give shots and injections; stitch cuts; provide X-rays, splints and casts; treat industrial injuries and perform basic laboratory tests.

    Office hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. All services must be paid with cash, check or credit card.

    Grand Island/Hall County Health Department

    The Health Department offers four categories of service: environmental, personal and community health, health education and laboratory. Personal and community health services include reduced-cost immunization clinics, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, HIV testing and counseling and school nursing. Except for the in-school nursing for students, clinics are offered at the department's office, 1137 S. Locust. Environmental services include such things as restaurant inspections and licensing, investigating private sewage treatment problems, regulating garbage handlers and insect control. Health education services include HIV and AIDS awareness, information on local outbreaks of disease and explanations of health issues. The department laboratory tests water supplies for fluoride levels and chemical and bacterial contamination, and it tests blood for HIV.

    For more information, call 385-5175.

    Third City Community Clinic

    The Third City Community Clinic, a free clinic open Tuesday and Thursday nights, is volunteer staffed by medical and nursing personnel from throughout the community. It is located after hours in the cancer center at St. Francis Memorial Health Center.

    The clinic often brings in different specialists at different times during the month. For more information, call 398-5312.

    Counseling services

    Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare (385-5250) offers extensive services in psychiatric health, children's treatment, foster children care, family crisis intervention, family preservation and support services.

    Mid-Plains' mission is to make available services which are least restrictive and least intrusive, and which promote independence and community integration for those served.

    Many other private counseling services are available in Grand Island and Hall County. They offer assistance to help solve family, marital, youth, alcohol/drug and other behaviorial issues.

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